Each year Americans make their list of resolutions for the New Year, and each year many forget those resolutions within a short time. Since many of the most popular resolutions are health-related, Alexander Amby, M.D., family practice physician on the medical staff at Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake, offers some tips for keeping your resolutions this year.

Write it down. By putting the resolution or goal on paper, you’re making it more concrete. In your mind, the resolution has gone from a thought to something you can actually see and visualize. You may find it helpful to post your list where you can see it every day.

Keep it short. Don’t put too many resolutions on your list. A short and simple list is much more achievable than one that starts to look like the Gettysburg Address.

Break it down. If your overall resolution is something like “Lose Weight,” break that resolution down into smaller goals that you can realize. For instance, you may need to lose 40 pounds, but you’ll stick with it if you are realistic about what you can achieve. Most people tend to lose one to two pounds per week with dieting and exercise, so a sub-goal of losing six pounds in one month can be done.

Make it personal. Your resolution should be something you want to achieve. While your friends and family may be encouraging you to stop smoking, you need to want it as well.

Stay positive. Practice positive self-talk as you begin working to reach your goal. Tell yourself what you are doing to help meet your objective. Congratulate yourself for talking a walk instead of smoking a cigarette, or having a salad with low-fat dressing instead of a jumbo burger and an order of fries for lunch.

Get some support. Ask your friends and family to help you achieve your goal. They can provide motivation when you need it and cheer you on from the sidelines. You might even find a resolution buddy to go on the journey with you.

“Whether your resolution is to lose weight, eat healthier, stop smoking, or start exercising, the process of taking the goal from thought to action is the same,” adds Dr. Amby. “If you need help, ask your doctor for advice on ways to stop smoking, lose weight, and other health matters.”

For a month-by-month plan that can help you keep New Year’s exercise resolutions and achieve your best year of fitness, visit the free, online health library on the Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake website at www.DoctorsHospitalDallas.com/YearofFitness.